Tredyffrin Public Library
🏢 Tredyffrin Township Libraries · Strafford, Pennsylvania
Tredyffrin Public Library
Designed in 1976 by Romaldo Giurgola of Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and recognized as one of only 22 Great Buildings in Pennsylvania, Tredyffrin Public Library anchors Strafford Park with a makerspace, museum passes to nine local institutions, and evening hours four nights a week at 582 Upper Gulph Road.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 582 Upper Gulph Road, Strafford, PA 19087
Phone: (610) 688-7092
Website: tredyffrinlibraries.org
Plus Code: 87G63H4W+MW (Strafford, PA)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Tredyffrin Public Library
Tredyffrin Public Library opened on April 16, 1966, in temporary space at Valley Forge Junior High School, then moved in 1967 to the 1885 Strafford School building before outgrowing it. The township selected Strafford Park as a permanent site in 1973 and hired the Philadelphia firm Mitchell/Giurgola Architects — led by Romaldo Giurgola — to design a new building; the library opened there in October 1976 and received a National Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects in 1978. A $6 million renovation and expansion in 2007–2009 added new children's spaces and modernized the entire facility, which reopened on January 31, 2009. The library is the main branch of Tredyffrin Township Libraries, a two-location system that also operates the Paoli Library; both branches belong to the Chester County Library System, so a Tredyffrin card opens the door to 17 member libraries across the county. Circulation first topped 100,000 items in 1969 and 200,000 in 1986; today cardholders also borrow digital titles through Libby/OverDrive, stream films through Kanopy, and tap statewide research databases through Pennsylvania's POWER Library.
⭐ What makes this library special
- 1976 building designed by Romaldo Giurgola of Mitchell/Giurgola Architects — one of only 22 sites in Pennsylvania listed on the Great Buildings website and winner of an AIA National Award of Merit in 1978
- All-ages makerspace funded by a $25,000 McClain Foundation grant and a $15,000 Friends of the Library grant, opened early 2024 with 3D printers, a laser cutter and a Cricut machine
- Museum Pass program lets cardholders check out free 3-day family passes to nine venues including the National Constitution Center, Penn Museum, Hagley Museum, Elmwood Park Zoo and Morris Arboretum
- Red Fox Book Shop inside the library — a curated used-book sale room with over 5,000 gently used titles, open during library hours and supporting Friends fundraising since 2009
- Member of the 17-library Chester County Library System: one card borrows across all county branches plus statewide interlibrary loan
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Tredyffrin cardholders can borrow, stream and research free through Pennsylvania's shared digital collections:
📚 Services
- Makerspace with 3D printers, laser cutter and Cricut machine (all ages)
- Museum Pass program — free 3-day family passes to nine regional museums
- Red Fox Book Shop — gently used books for sale, supporting Friends of the Library
- Meeting room rentals for community and nonprofit groups
- Exam/test proctoring service
- Interlibrary loan (ILL) — borrow from libraries across Pennsylvania and nationwide
- Library of Things — borrow items beyond traditional books and media
- Public computers, printing and free Wi-Fi
🎸 Programs
- 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten early literacy initiative
- Summer reading challenges for children, teens and adults
- Children's storytimes and youth programming
- Teen programs and makerspace workshops
- Adult book clubs and Arbo-READ-um adult services
- Year-round community events and author programs
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Philadelphia Main Line Area
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Strafford · Browse all Pennsylvania libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed the Tredyffrin Public Library building, and why is it architecturally significant?
The 1976 building was designed by Romaldo Giurgola of the Philadelphia firm Mitchell/Giurgola Architects, who conceived it as 'an arc along the crest of the hill, wrapped around the open space of the park' — integrating the structure with Strafford Park rather than imposing on it. The design won a National Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects in 1978, and the building is listed on the Great Buildings website as one of only 22 recognized architectural sites in all of Pennsylvania.
What can I borrow or make in the Tredyffrin Public Library makerspace?
The makerspace, which opened in early 2024 after a $40,000 grant from the McClain Foundation and Friends of the Library, is open to all ages and equipped with 3D printers, a laser cutter and a Cricut cutting machine. It is designed for patrons with science, technology, engineering, arts and math interests who want hands-on access to creative tools.
What museums can I visit for free with a Tredyffrin library card?
The Museum Pass program lets cardholders check out a free three-day family pass to any of nine participating venues: the National Constitution Center, the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Hagley Museum and Library, Elmwood Park Zoo, Morris Arboretum, the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Chanticleer Gardens, and the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center.
Does a Tredyffrin library card work at other Chester County libraries?
Yes. Tredyffrin Public Library is a member of the Chester County Library System, a federated network of 17 public library branches across the county. A single Tredyffrin card can be used to borrow physical and digital materials at any member library, and the shared CHESP catalog at chesp.na.iiivega.com shows holdings across the entire system.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.